The Rolling Rebellion for Real Democracy joined in an action this week at the Federal Communications Commission to protect Internet freedom and prevent the Internet from becoming a tool of wealthy corporations against the rest of us. The FCC is considering a proposal that could dramatically change the Internet and undermine its importance as a tool for democratizing media and communication. The future of the Internet is a key battleground in the conflict between the interest of the wealthiest Americans and the rest of us.

Tom Wheeler, Chairman of the Federal Communication Commission, has proposed a “Fast and Slow lane” Internet where cable companies like Comcast and Verizon can sell viable Internet to the highest bidder. This would destroy the key feature of the Internet, net neutrality, which allows new innovators with big ideas but small budgets to compete with giants like Google – because all of the bits that flow from websites to users are treated the same. This change will make it much more difficult for the next Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to emerge.

Why would the FCC make a change to the Internet that would effectively kill its innovative and information-democratizing potential? Because doing so serves the interests of the biggest corporations whose wealth dominates government. Chairman Wheeler has been employed by the cable companies as a lobbyist for much of his career and this rule change would make those companies hundreds of millions of dollars extorting sites like Google, Facebook, and Netflix while pricing out startups. Wheeler says he doesn’t support a tiered Internet, but his rules would allow just that and would continue to result in more court challenges by the giant telecoms.

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This is a corporate take over of the Internet facilitated by our corrupt government. If lobbying weren’t allowed to the extent it currently is and political-campaign finance was not beholden to large corporate interests, would Obama have still turned the Internet over to the cable companies by appointing Tom Wheeler? Probably not, but now the consequences for this corruption are immediate – our ability to communicate will be directly effected by this rule change, making it harder to fight for “Ending the rule of money” and instituting “Real Democracy.”

The Internet was originally classified as a Common Carrier under Title II of the Federal Communications Act, but that was changed in 2002. This was the first step towards Internet discrimination and Wheeler’s proposal could start a slippery slope which makes the Internet like cable TV where people can only access what they can afford. However, Wheeler could go the other way and end Internet discrimination by reclassifying the Internet as a Common Carrier. This would give the FCC the authority to regulate the Internet in the public’s interest and to reinstate net neutrality rules.

That's why, on July 1 at noon, Rolling Rebellion took action by staging a literal tug of war outside the FCC building between the People and the Telecoms for our bubblehead Tom Wheeler’s support. There was picketing, chanting, singing, costumes, and many pictures, all with the goal of getting our message heard – by FCC employees on lunch break and the wider Internet community. We think it sent a clear message that without reclassification of the Internet as a utility – thereby enshrining net neutrality in law – Tom Wheeler will have sided with the big corporations and abandoned the people in the process. So far, Wheeler’s vague responses to questions in recent public events have been less than reassuring, which is why activists brought the most important question right to Wheeler’s doorstep in the musical “Which Side Are You On, Tom?”.

The action was organized by Popular Resistance and supported by participating organizations that included CODE PINK, Free Press,Veterans for Peace, Womens Institute for Freedom of the Press, Fight for the Future, Rolling Rebellion for Real Democracy andGreenpeace

The deadline for the first round of public comments is July 15. Overwhelming public support is needed to overcome the power of the telecom and broadband providers. Over 100,000 people have already commented but more are needed. Every comment makes a difference, so submit yours today and tell you friends, family and neighbors to do the same. Tell the FCC on proceeding #14-28 that you want the Internet reclassified so there can be no discrimination – and so that net neutrality is made the law of the land.

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